the Gentleman's Affair
by afickleflakes
Summary: He was just lowly, uneducated vermin with no past, no present and no future. AU LaviLenalee
1. The Prime Minister's Sister

The Valet's Affair

Chapter One: The Prime Minister's Sister

Disclaimer: Don't own anything.

* * *

The redhead sighed quietly, rising and straightening his black uniform as a large, silver Volvo pulled into the drive. It was his third car today, and he'd only started his shift ten minutes ago.  
Allen had better get back quickly in case another car showed up. Most of the flights carrying foreign delegates were arriving at the airport. They were to check in at this particular hotel he worked at and wait for the date to arrive, indulging in the luxuries the country had to offer. The twenty year-old found it relatively stupid, considering the World Peace Declaration Meeting would only come in a week.

To top it off, the holiday season had just begun.

The twenty year-old sighed as he approached the silver Volvo.

The door opened, and a stout man emerged from the driver's seat of the large vehicle.  
He hobbled over, a distasteful expression on his face.

"You'd better not leave a single scratch on this car, you rat."

Lavi smiled warmly, fake though it was.  
He had seen it coming; the snobbish natures of his customers were no abnormal occurrence.

"I won't, sir."

The customer grunted.

"Good. If I find even a tiny scratch on this vehicle when I come back for it, your ass will be served to the higher ups on a silver platter, and you'll be sucking your mother's tits as soon as you go crying home."

"Yes, sir. May I have your name, so that I may address the car keys to you correctly later? They shall be delivered up to your room after you have checked in."

His voice was smooth, polite.  
He had no idea how he had managed to stay sane these past three months with the attitude of these people, and how he had to stay calm and polite all the time.

'_It's because Gramps needs this._'

And it _was _one good thing about not having parents.  
Parent insults didn't have any effect on him.

It was just annoying to be talked to in such a disrespectful way.  
He was human too, after all.

'_But if they hadn't abandoned me in the first place, I wouldn't be in this situation._'

Oh well. No use brooding over those morbid things now.

"Morgan Spencer."

The man grunted as his wife and two daughters emerged from the car, all similarly obese.

"Thank you, sir."

At that instant, he caught the two rotund girls giggling and nudging each other, staring at him all the while. Common occurrence as this was, Lavi felt uncomfortable all the same.

The redhead stepped into the car as Chaoji, a porter, stepped up to retrieve the snob's luggage from the car's boot.

Lifting the suitcases gingerly and placing them on the trolley carefully, Chaoji handled the suitcases well.

"You'd better not drop anything, you rat!"

Was it just him, or did anyone who served this arrogant man become a 'rat'?

"No, sir. I will not."

Chaoji flashed the man a smile which went unreturned. The poor lad was given an unsightly, rude snort in reply.

The car boot slammed shut with a soft click.

Lavi shook his head as the family of snobs entered the lobby, his boss' words echoing in his ear; "_The customer is always right. Never talk back to the customer, and no matter what they may say, keep your temper in check_."

How frustrating.

The redhead's foot eased on the accelerator lightly, and the car engine purred, pushing forward smoothly. From his peripherals, Allen, in all his white-haired glory, emerged from the car park stairwell.

The redhead raised his hand in greeting from within the massive vehicle, to which Allen responded with a grin and a wave.

Lavi pondered Allen's presence at the valet services. He was only seventeen, after all. A kid at that age should be at school.

At that, the twenty year-old's heart wavered, and his chest tightened painfully.

At his age, the redhead had been brilliant in his studies. However, forced by cruel fates controlling the rollercoaster that was his life, he had been cut out of university life and into the sloppy shadow of valet servicing.

Every day, these thoughts plagued him.  
It was getting unbearably sickening to think about.

His grandfather, initially in his place, working as a valet himself, had recently taken ill. Although the doctors and hospital crew had managed to get his situation under control, the treatment and medicine were pricey. Lavi had to work. Thankfully for him, his driver's license, attained the year before, allowed him to stand in for his grandfather at his old high-paying job - considering the hotel's five-star status – and earned them enough money to just get by.

The redhead had decided instead to take a scholarship examination to get back into university free of charge when this was all over and old Bookman was better. Before that, though, he'd definitely get the old man to retire. He'd work part time after school to cover the rent and cost of daily necessities.

Lavi shut the engine off distractedly, withdrawing the keys from the ignition before locking the car with the click of a button and a beep.

He strolled lazily back to reception, taking the stairs in the dark, musty stairwell two at a time. He left the keys and the fat snob's name with Noise Marie, the receptionist on duty.

Just as he sat down, once more awaiting the arrival of another car which needed to be parked, a black limousine slowed to a stop in front of him.  
Allen wasn't around; he had probably taken another vehicle down to the basement to be parked.

Lavi was tempted to throw his hands up in irritation.  
It was such a busy day. Cars coming in one after the other.

He rose again, vaguely annoyed, and opened the limousine door.

Surprisingly enough, the limousine turned out to be a taxi limousine.  
Lucky for him.

He held open the door as a dark-haired man dressed in a white suit and tie stepped out.

This man held an aura of significance and dignity. He was probably someone of high status in society, Lavi figured.

He did look vaguely familiar, though.

Then again, he was probably just like all the other snobs.  
But there was a difference.

He wore a kind expression.

"Thank you, Mr…" the man glanced down at the redhead's nametag, "Bookman."

Said redhead was utterly shocked. He had never encountered polite snob. Then again, being polite, this person couldn't be classified as a snob anymore.

"Uh, you're welcome, sir."

The bespectacled man walked past him to open the boot of the car.

"Ah, sir, I'll help with your baggage! You need not do it yourself."

He dashed round to the rear of the car and began helping the kindly man with his luggage.

He lifted the first suitcase out onto the ground.

"You're rather kind, Mr Bookman. Thank you for your help."

He flashed the man a smile.

"It's fine, sir. This _is_ my job."

Boots clicked softly on the cobblestone drive.

"Older brother, I'll go ahead and check into reception, if that's alright?"

The door of the taxi limousine closed with a light bang as a second figure appeared beside the white-suited man.

The maiden was fair, her skin porcelain, contrasting to the waist-length jet black hair that hung down from her head in straight locks. She was dressed in a long ladies' trench coat and a lavender turtleneck, her hands tucked into pockets against the cold weather. She had a heart-shaped face, and the most appalling eyes he had ever seen.

"Please do, Lenalee. Thank you very much."

Then Lavi's green eye met the violet orbs of the man's apparent sister.

He looked away immediately, feeling it wasn't his place to be looking at her.  
She was beautiful, but they were probably _worlds_ apart.

The girl turned away, strolling away to the lobby before her brother, just as Alistair Krory, another porter, hurried out from behind automatic glass doors with a gold trolley.

He reached them just as the ebony-haired maiden, Lenalee, disappeared behind one-way reflection glass doors.

"I'll take it from here, Lavi."

"Thanks."

He had just finished removing all the bags from the taxi limousine boot.

"Sir, perhaps, you might want to stand back? The car exhaust is most unhealthy."

Krory continued to lift the luggage onto the trolley as Lavi closed the boot, the important man backing away slightly onto the marble platform.

The taxi limousine drove off.

"Thank you, Mr Bookman, Mr Alistair, for your services."

The well dressed man offered them a warm smile.

"I will mention your names to the management."

Lavi was astounded. This sort of thing had never happened to him before.

"T-Thank you, sir."

The bespectacled man faced away, sauntering away at a leisurely pace.  
The redhead hesitated before daring to speak again.

"U-Um, sir."

Said person turned to face him.

"Yes?"

"If you wouldn't mind my asking… You seem very familiar, so, if I may ask… Who are you?"

Krory gawked at him from behind the bespectacled man.  
Lavi blinked.

The kind expression on the other's face turned to one of faint curiosity ad surprise.

"Mr Bookman, I would think you are rather poorly informed."

Lavi felt he had stepped into the wrong zone.

"I am the Prime Minister."

* * *

A/N: Hello, hello! I've written another! Apparently, I'm hooked on Lavi/Lenalee, and it's high time I got writing again. ^_^  
In this fic, they're all two years older than their ages in the actual anime/manga. I hope you liked it. ^_^

Please leave a review and tell me what you think? ^_^


	2. Escort

The Gentleman's Affair

Chapter 2: Escort

Disclaimer: Don't own anything.

* * *

_I clipped my wings just for an excuse,_

_For not putting myself to better use._

* * *

The mug of tea in his hands was warm.

An enthusiastic yelp jolted him from his reverie. But you couldn't really call it that; he was sure one didn't call the state of thinking about just how boring this day was going to be (in all of its mundane business as the day before) a reverie.

"Are you serious?"

Lavi looked up. He hadn't paid attention to what the white-haired boy and Mr Conrad had been speaking of until the former's exclamation. Allen stood before their boss, seemingly excited.

The redhead wondered what was going on. He sipped his tea quietly.

"Yes. For today and the rest of the week until the World Peace Meetings begin, a few select valets, for we are short on limousine taxi drivers that can be hired the whole day at current, will be allowed to escort the delegates' families to wherever they wish to go around the country."

Lavi eyed Allen lazily as the white-haired boy leapt up and threw a punch in the air, a piece of toast hanging out of his mouth. He looked excited, for some reason. What was so exciting about taking care of a bunch of old politicians? He wasn't one who denied the world's political shenanigans his concern, but he wasn't all for babysitting grown men and listening to their rambling.

… In fact, most of them were probably snobbish. The redhead sighed, his eye fluttering shut momentarily.

Well, the Prime Minister wasn't a snob. Nor were he and his sister old politicians. Especially not the Prime Minister's sister. She had seemed younger than him. She wasn't even a politician…

The twenty year-old had no idea where his thoughts were going.

Allen continued to parade around the room in elation. Lavi assumed that perhaps it was alright. The poor kid was still seventeen, after all. He probably didn't even know what the extra job entailed. The redhead sighed. Even so, teenagers needed to have some fun, he thought bitterly, or at least to think they did.

"Awesome!"

Currently, the two valets were off duty, having their breakfast before beginning the morning shift. Now that the redhead knew what Allen was talking about, the idea didn't seem as 'awesome', to quote Allen, as it should to him. Should it even seem awesome to him in the first place?

"Later, I'll be putting up a table of who these very carefully selected will be escorting about."

The white-haired teen turned, smiling eagerly at Lavi, who shrugged.

"Now, you guys look out for that bulletin, alright?"

The older man winked. The redhead raised an eyebrow at this. Wasn't the boss a _little_ too old for that kind of thing?

… Perhaps he was a pedo in disguise.

Lavi nearly fell off the chair he was balancing on two legs. It was better to keep those kinds of thoughts and, unfortunately, images at the back of his mind. Or even out of mind. That would be even better.

… Maybe the boss was gay?

An image of his grandfather popped up in his head, his saggy cheeks drawn up in a cheeky looking smirk. The redhead shook his head vigorously. That was just… wrong. And this was not the time to be thinking of such things.

… It just went to show how deprived he had been of a normal hormone-driven teenage life. Not that Lavi wanted to be gay, or aspired to be a pedophile-

The redhead sighed heavily, wondering faintly what was wrong with his head. Maybe the Panda had whacked him in his sleep. He almost started feeling for a bump on his head when he realised what he was doing.

A fleeting image of the beautiful angel – uh, girl, he'd seen yesterday flashed in his head. Maybe _she_ was driving him crazy. He hadn't managed to get much sleep, after all.

…. It was cold. That was all. Last night had been cold and he'd given his blanket to the old man. That was it.

He shook his head one last time before looking up at his boss who was just about to enlighten he and Allen a little more on the escort assignments. He sipped his tea.

When his boss smiled again, he tried not to choke, but failed miserably, spilling milk tea down the front of his shirt.

Great.

Mr Conrad looked at him with concern momentarily.

"Careful, my dear boy," he said.

It only served to give Lavi a headache.

"Well, on with today's work then. Remember, only the best, most polite and capable valets have been chosen. Good luck to you both."

Lavi looked down at his newly stained white button-down shirt. He would have to borrow Allen's. Granted, it would probably fit him better than his own did at the moment, considering how he had been cutting back on meals to pay for the Panda's medication. But that was the problem. More people would be staring at him today, and the redhead was nowhere near comfortable with that.

He sighed

… Luck he most certainly needed indeed.

* * *

He wasn't extremely excited.

Hadn't the boss said only the 'best, most polite and capable valets' had been chosen? After what the Prime Minister said – that he would mention Lavi's and Krory's names to the management – he'd been expecting this.

…But that didn't mean he wanted to have an extra job.

Especially not when it meant that he might be stuck with the world's –or country's – biggest snob.

A few minutes ago, when lunch break officially began and the part-time valets took over for the lunch shift, Lavi had been unceremoniously dragged to the bulletin board by his seventeen year-old colleague.

"Screw this," he muttered under his breath.

As he dragged his feet to the paper, he wondered which delegate he'd be serving. Would they be arrogant? Would they make him take them to bars and come in drunk and assault him? Maybe they would be abusive, whacking him upside the head every time he tuned out their boring conversations, or listened to them at the wrong time.

Lavi sighed. He looked on as Allen took up the entire space in front of the notice, his head blocking the redhead's view. Not that he was eager to see who he was going to be chauffeuring around town.

Allen was tapping his chin with a finger, his gaze trained on the notice newest to the bulletin board.

"Yu Kanda…? A delegate from Edo, Japan… Say, Lavi, have you heard of him?"

Just because he didn't have a positive outlook on his extra job didn't mean he couldn't give Allen one. The redhead had taken a temporary Japanese language elective back in high school. He could perhaps give Allen some insight on this Yu Kanda fellow.

"Well, I have no idea who that is, but if it makes a difference, the term 'Yu' is more commonly associated with the word 'gentle' in Japanese or something to that effect, I think," he said absently, poking his head over Allen's head (for all his vertically challenged stature). He placed his chin on top of the younger boy's head affectionately – Allen was like a brother to him – even though the white-haired boy protested momentarily with a whine ("H-Hey-! Your chin's really sharp, dammit! And you're making me feel short!").

His pale, long-fingered hand on the bulletin board next to the sheet of paper, the redhead's one visible emerald eye scanned the sheet of paper for his name, and found it situated next to the name of one Dr. Komui Lee (and family).

Slowly, the redhead drew away from the bulletin board, his mouth set in a straight line. Allen, now free of the weight on his head, bounded away like the teenager he was to the lunch table to grab some of Head Chef Jerry's signature blueberry muffins – or rather a whole plate of them – before they ran out.

Again the twenty year old felt the pieces of his heart crumble momentarily. A lump in his throat threatened to choke him up, and his composure slipped slightly.

Clearing his throat, Lavi ran a hand through his stunning crimson locks. He walked as calmly as he could over to sit next to Allen at their usual spot with Chaoji and Krory. They were enjoying simple conversation about a customer from earlier that day, and the redhead slid the carefree smile he reserved for such situations into place. Paying half a mind to the conversation going about around him, he let his mind wander.

Eventually, he fell into a state of semi-consciousness, sleep consuming him. His one visible eye fluttered shut.

… He had no inkling as to who this Dr Komui person was. And his family. Who the hell were they? Whoever they were, the redhead didn't particularly care. But somehow, somewhere in his empty shell of a heart, he hoped it was the prime minister and his sister. Even if he wasn't worthy enough to look at her, and they were worlds apart.

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thank you everyone who subscribed, favourited and everyone who read and reviewed. (:


	3. The World Or Nothing

The Gentleman's Affair

Chapter 3: The World Or Nothing

Disclaimer: I don't own.

A/N: Hello guys~ I'm back with a little update I wrote on holiday. I hope you enjoy this. The title was inspired by Deaf Havana's The World or Nothing. (: give it a listen. It's awesome. Thank you everyone who read and reviewed~! Enjoy~

* * *

By the time he had walked into his neighbourhood, Lavi had run out of buzz. Left to walk thirty or so blocks back to the apartment building he shared with his old man, the redhead had about an hour to himself. And thinking had never done Lavi much good.

The twenty year-old turned the corner around Mrs Foxx's house. The street lamp in front of the porch had short-circuited the year before, marking the five blocks he had left to walk to his apartment building. He crossed the street, wary (as he always was when he passed the shattered windows of the old lady's house) of the kind smile she had given him as a child. The fruity, warm and gently erotic scent of well kept honeysuckle in her west-facing flowerbox in the summer. The scent of homemade cinnamon rolls wafting out the window and caressing his senses.

Lavi closed his eye and sighed. His feet thudded on the pavement, soft and rhythmic, unparallel to his heavy thoughts and troubled musings.

Earlier that evening, just after he and Allen had changed into their casual clothes, ready to head home, Mr Conrad had summoned them to his office. Handing them their new uniforms (which had Allen humming in delight), he informed them that they would be required to be at the hotel by seven AM the next morning. They would then change into their uniforms – which they would bring home with them that day to prepare and make any minor adjustments to – and be waiting on the delegates (and family, if any) by seven thirty.

Then he'd told them about their new salary.

At first the redhead had been ecstatic. Allen had almost gotten a heart attack from the unusual way Lavi had been smiling. It had been a while since the twenty year-old had grinned that widely. Not only would they as escorts receive a significant pay raise, they were also likely to receive tips from their passengers. The extra money would definitely contribute to Lavi's school savings and the funds he reserved for his grandfather's health.

But on his solitary walk home, the redhead realised that he wasn't living in some kind of fantasy. He wasn't a hero whose life more or less sucked in the initial stages of the story and who somehow suddenly attained the riches of a prince (or by his standards, anyway). No, Lavi was just someone whose life sucked. The job required his dedication for most of the day. That meant that he either needed to put the old panda in a hospital ward for the time being or hire a caretaker for the old man. Neither was, to say the least, cheap.

Lavi sensed the sweet smelling incense of the Oxfords' house ghosting through his nostrils. He lowered his eyes in bitter sorrow.

They had been good people, intelligent and kind. They had not deserved their fate. Their garden had once been adorned with flowerbeds, the walls of the building painted in soft pastel hues. Once a long time ago, their beautiful daughter, fresh out of high school, had babysat him. She was tall and beautiful with a kind smiling face curtained by chocolate brown hair that shone in the sun. And whenever she looked at him, her deep blue eyes twinkled with love. He had loved her like the older sister he'd never had. And he knew she'd loved him too.

If she had lived, she would have had children by then. She would have been a mother.

… The redhead came to a stop. He looked up, but did not see the light fading from the sky. He could only remind himself that crying didn't bring the dead back to life. Swiping the back of his hand callously across his eyes, he continued to move forward.

All those years ago, she had spent her time teaching him everything there was to know about flowers. How one identified the type of flower they were looking at, how to determine which flower came from which seed, how to water the growing plants properly so that they grew strong and healthy.

Even as a boy, Lavi hadn't minded. Flowers weren't something a boy would usually like. But he loved to know anything and everything, and that included knowledge even about flowers. Anything that he could possibly know, he would want to know it. But those had been dreams from the past. They were no longer relevant. Like the house, they had been destroyed. It had been a cheerful place, brimming with laughter, smiles, and love back then. Now it lay empty, the door hanging precariously on whatever was left of its hinges. The inside of the house was dark and hollow.

Just like the redhead's heart.

Lavi shook his head, pushing the impending darkness in his mind as far away as he could manage and ran a hand through his hair. His own problems were insignificant. They were stupid. They always had been, and they always would be. He looked down at his skinny wrists, pale in the cold. He tried not to imagine the things he could do to them, the shapes, patterns and grids he could carve into them. He needed to focus on other, more important things. The old man needed him. And he was tougher than that…

… Wasn't he?

A crow flapped its wings clumsily on a lamp post nearby, taking flight in a lumbering motion. Lavi paused to watch it stagger pitifully through the skies and land on the corner of an old building nearby. Pathetic though it was, at least the black bird had the freedom to go wherever it wanted, even if it was difficult for it to get there.

Lavi shook his head and continued on his way.

Either way, the amount of money accumulated in his school savings account didn't matter nearly as much as his grandfather's health fund. That was his first priority. And considering he couldn't possibly cater to his grandfather's health personally, with the escort job on his hands. He had no choice. He barely had a few hours after work as it was. The escort job would probably require him to chauffeur the delegates to and from important meetings (or late night parties) in the late hours of the night. That left Lavi with little to no time to care for his old man.

The redhead rounded the corner, turning onto the street leading up to his apartment building. He tried to keep his gaze trained on the ground in front of him, but the shattered glass on the ground and scattered remains of hastily cleared rubble brought memories flooding back into his head like they always did. And his right eye throbbed painfully in its socket like it always did. The twenty year-old's jaw tightened.

The sky was a deep blue by now, the remnants of daylight fading to black. A sliver of silver glistened faintly in between dark grey storm clouds. Lavi glanced skywards as thunder rumbled in the distance, promising rain and the chill that always came with it.

The redhead ran a hand through his hair. Now that he thought about it, he realised he'd left his windbreaker back at the hotel, in his locker. The black suit (with red and gold trimming) Mr Conrad had given him had taken up most of the space in his messenger bag. It had left barely any room for his (almost-empty wallet) and small second hand phone. The only protection he had against the oncoming storm were the clothes on his back; his faded Levi's, his ten dollar bargain sneakers, the black cotton t-shirt he was wearing with wing graphics on the back that he'd had since he was fifteen and the sports jacket he'd had from high school. Not much. They would all be drenched in a heartbeat.

Lavi felt the first drop of icy rain caress his right cheekbone, cold and fleeting like the tears of a corpse bride. The redhead licked his lips as the raindrop trailed down the contours of his face.

A light drizzle began to chill the air around him, and Lavi found himself wandering through memories of better times like a wraith. At night, the empty streets had been illuminated by street lamps, the sidewalks casting neat shadows on the tarmac. Warm rays of sunlight had coaxed dreamers awake at dawn.

Footsteps echoed behind him somewhere. The redhead paid them no mind. He was probably hallucinating, hearing the semblances of what had once been trying to break down his locked doors, thrashing in the weak grip of his sanity to surface in the foregrounds of his mind.

Subconsciously, he hoisted his worn messenger bag higher up his shoulder. The rain began to pour down on him in fat, heavy droplets like the weight of the world on his shoulders. Lavi's strides grew longer and he hastened, pace quickening. He couldn't afford getting the escort uniform wet.

He heard footsteps again, closer this time, and Lavi glanced over his shoulder cautiously. Maybe he hadn't imagined the footsteps after all.

The redhead had only managed to glimpse his assailant when the wind was knocked out of his lungs. He gasped, his lungs scrambling for air. A hard chop was dealt to his neck, and Lavi felt the darkness he ran so desperately from explode in front of him, enveloping him in its suffocating embrace.

Forms blurred to indiscernible shapes and colours faded to pale grey in his clouded vision, impaired by the fog of frustration and helplessness.

Swallowed by desperation, his mind transported him back to better times. The rain, cold and piercing, prickled his skin and number the pain of the blows that followed.

He thought back to the times before life had been a struggle.

Before his old man had gotten sick.

Before he'd been torn away from the education he treasured.

He heard something tear nearby. Something deep down.

Before the invasion.

Before they had killed everyone.

_His heart_.

Before the fighting and the hate.

Before the _pain_.

Lavi's jaw tightened.

Before all the accusations.

Before his life had become a stagger along fragile lines. Thin, fragile lines that were bound to snap, tear, fray, under pressure.

The redhead felt himself drifting away from mortality.

Before _everything_.

The heavens wept cold tears as though having seen his fate from the beginning, crying as though in pain for that which they could not prevent. They moaned for his unrewarded pain, for his undeserved punishment, and for all the agony that was to come.

A world of grey faded to black.


	4. Luck

The Gentleman's Affair

Chapter 3: Luck

Disclimer: I don't own.

A/N: Okay, I don't really know what I'm doing. I know the plot isn't really moving, and I'm sorry for that. I just like a lot of detail. Unfortunately. Anyway, here's the next chapter~! I'm so sorry it doesn't really tell you guys much. Uhm. At least it has more background stuff for you? I don't know. but yeah, everything here plays a part in the overall plotline. You'll see later on. :D I didn't have much time. Otherwise, I would have given you guys some plot (and LENALEE AND KOMUI AND KANDA APPEARANCES) but I didn't really have time. ): even so, enjoy, if you will~ and leave a review? :D

* * *

_The streetlights hurt my eyes more than usual tonight.  
No sense of direction, my vision's blurred.  
I think I'll lay down for a while._

_But I don't have a bed of my own,  
just a space on someone else's.  
No, I don't have a bed of my own.  
Just a space on someone else's,  
or at least for now._

* * *

Sometimes, after he'd slept, the twenty year-old dreaded the fact that consciousness was slowly returning to him, the feeling in his fingertips just a breath away. Couldn't they – whoever they were – free him from his chains? Couldn't they have just let him slip away to wherever it was people went after death? Things would be so much easier. He wouldn't have to suffer anymore.

But then his conscience would growl at him from the depths of his mind, reminding him that he had an old man to take care of and that he owed that same old man everything. His education, his life, _everything_. He couldn't just _leave_ like that without repaying every last bit of the old man's favours.

Lavi knew the voice was right, and though he was concerned that he was hearing it, he listened.

By the time the redhead came to, the sky was black and his skin was cold. He was drenched to the bone and numb. He could barely feel the stiffness in his bones and blood leaked from his lower lip. Lavi clenched his teeth as he moved slowly to sit up. The redhead tried not to wince from the bruises on his back as he managed a sitting position.

A wave of anxiety washed over him and Lavi felt his stomach do a backflip. He fought down half the urge to wretch and coughed over a dry heave. His back exploded in pain and the redhead drew in a sharp intake of breath.

Lavi's eye searched the darkness around him, spotting his messenger bag lying torn apart a few metres away. He scrambled for it, his heart pounding at the thought of what might have happened to his belongings. His back screamed with pain, but Lavi fought his weakness. He didn't have time for it. He didn't matter. A metallic taste surfaced in his mouth.

Breathing deeply to maintain his composure, he grasped the strap of the old leather pouch. He checked his messenger bag anxiously, hoping, praying, that if not his wallet and phone, his suit would still be in it.

Gold glinted in the shadows of the alley, and Lavi felt his searching hands brush against the plastic covering of his phone and the fabric of his wallet.

The redhead released a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. The expensive garments were right where he'd left them, safe and sound, if somewhat soiled with murky alley water. It was alright. They could be washed. His phone, old and out of style, had probably been useless to his muggers. Even his wallet was intact, the entire sum of money that had been there in the beginning still secure in its folds, as were his license and identification card required to access the hotel's service entrance.

The twenty year-old sighed, his face scrunching up in pain. His visible skin was all pallor, save for the large bluish-purple bruise on his right hand. Lavi flexed his long fingers and rotated his wrist. Noting that it didn't sting nearly as much as his back, he decided that he would still be able to drive adequately the next day.

Lavi narrowed his eyes. Some bastard had probably stepped on it. He sighed.

"Dammit."

The redhead slowly got to his feet and hobbled back to the apartment, thanking whatever god there was out there for the tiny stroke of luck he'd had. He still had the suit, not to mention his 2-dollar lunch money for the rest of the week and his phone, and though he hadn't escaped the mugging unharmed, that was enough.

* * *

When Lavi's eyes fluttered open, he was alarmed at the intensity of the sunlight streaming in from the window. Forgetting the contusions on his back, the redhead jolted up from the couch at the sight of the time on his wall clock and nearly cried out in pain ("F-!") but bit his lip.

It was six thirty. He was supposed to have been up at five. He needed an hour to walk to the hotel. Forty-five minutes if he ran.

Lavi ignored the throbbing as well as he could. It was a milder ache that morning as compared to the night before and he most definitely could rush through his morning routine regardless of how much of an annoyance it was being.

The twenty year-old hurried through his shower, not bothering to dry his hair properly, and threw on a clean pair of jeans. He set the microwave on high and heated up some leftover porridge, preparing a kettle of hot tea on the stove. Grabbing his hoodie, the redhead pulled his shirt over his head with a grimace and jogged to the Panda's room.

The old man's fever had gone down and he was now sleeping soundly. The dark circles around his eyes which had earned the old geezer his nickname were still deep black lines of fatigue and sickness, but at least the colour had returned to his cheeks.

Lavi smiled faintly at his 'grandfather' and left some porridge and a mug of tea by the bed.

The truth was, Bookman wasn't really related to him by blood. It was just what people assumed of them; that Lavi was the old man's grandson – who happened to be a lot taller than him and must have somehow not inherited his genes whatsoever. A long time ago, Lavi would have earned himself a kick every time he taunted his old man about it.

As a child, he'd wondered when the old man would run out of use for his little 'pet' and throw him back out onto the streets like a stray cat.

Over time, those doubts had dissipated enough to lay off his mind and let him focus on more important things. But sometimes, Lavi still wondered just how long it would be before he no longer belonged to a family, no matter how small. The redhead shook his head to clear his mind of the past once again.

Making sure his grandfather was comfortable, the redhead grabbed his suit from where it was draped over the couch, stuffed it into his mended messenger bag and headed out.

* * *

Lavi crouched low over the neck of the black stallion. They raced along the old road to the back entrance of the hotel. The redhead totally owed Chomesuke one. He wouldn't be late after all. The horse and rider pair thundered down the dirt path at full gallop. Lavi urged the powerful animal on, the wind whipping his hair around his face. He still had another two minutes to check in at seven.

His heart raced.

His good childhood friend, Chomesuke, now twenty like himself, owned a small stable and riding school of about fifteen horses and a plain near his neighbourhood. She had inherited the land from her parents when they had died a few years back from an unfortunate accident, and had quit school to run the business (she had claimed school wasn't very much fun without Lavi anyway).Whenever there were guests at the hotel, the hotel would suggest a short ride or riding camp at Chomesuke's stables. Chomesuke and the hotel head honcho, a Mr Cross, as far as Lavi knew, went way back somehow.

Chomesuke had actually lived on Litmus Lane as his neighbour once upon a time. They had been good friends for the six months her family had rented the apartment next to his and Bookman's. Lavi had been fourteen then, attending junior high. Chomesuke, attending the same school and in the same class as him, had been his first girlfriend (and, no doubt, last in a while), but it hadn't turned out as anything serious. They'd stayed friends ever since the mutual parting. Then she'd moved away – and luckily too, because it was only six months after she'd gone that the neighbouring country had invaded them. It was just Lavi's bad luck that he lived about ten miles away from the border.

The stallion slowed to a trot, panting heavily, its neck soaked with sweat. Lavi drew in deep breaths, his chest rising and falling, and breathed the country air in deeply. The hotel was in his sights now, and as the redhead rose and fell in the saddle with the stallion's rhythmic gait, he hoped he would still have time to freshen up from his ride.

He ran a hand through his hair.

Finally Chomesuke caught up to him on her own mare. She brushed the perspiration off her brow with the flick of her wrist.

"Phew," she breathed, "I swear, you have got to be the best rider my riding school's ever seen."

Lavi threw her nothing short of a smirk. Around Chomesuke, Lavi was always in the best mood. Late to work (and kind of tired from the ride as well as lack of breakfast that day) or not, he felt a little less grouchy around her – she was always cheerful, smiling and joking.

"Better than you?" he asked innocently, still breathing somewhat heavily.

Sidling up next to him on her pretty blue roan, Chomesuke stuck her tongue out at him.

"Of course, not that you'll let me hear the end of it. I _did _teach you to ride, though, and I do think I deserve some credit for playing a part in the development of your champion skills, don't you?" she said in between huffs.

The redhead smiled and Chomesuke grinned.

"What happened to your bag, by the way? It looks like you had to fix it in a hurry with the wrong kind of thread," the brown-haired girl observed, frowning slightly.

They halted a few yards away from the frozen food trucks unloading food from their mobile refrigerators. A few of the workers paused to stare at them before continuing their work. Lavi chuckled as he dismounted.

"It's nothing," he replied with a shake of his head.

Unbuckling the catch on his saddle bag, the redhead gave the big black stallion a pat on the neck and a sugar cube from his pocket.

"Good job, boy. Thanks for the ride," he told the horse as he nuzzled the sugar cube in Lavi's palm. Turning to Chomesuke and handing her the reins, the twenty year-old smiled. "I owe you one, yeah? I'll repay you when I can. Sorry," he said sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. He turned to leave. "Gotta run!"

Lavi dashed off in the direction of the service entrance with a wave. The brown haired girl smiled to herself and returned the wave as the redhead's stunning crimson head of hair disappeared behind mahogany swing-doors.

"See you later," she whispered.

She lowered her hand and pressed two fingers to her lips.

* * *

Allen was just about to gobble down some pancakes when Lavi stumbled into the lounge breathing heavily like he'd just run a marathon. Unfortunately, as a result of the redhead's loud and attention-drawing entrance, the white-haired boy almost choked on his blueberry pancakes. The redhead washed his hands nearby and hurried to the check-in machine without a word, leaving the seventeen year-old quite puzzled.

Checking in at exactly seven AM, the redhead hummed and stole a pancake from Allen's plate ("H-Hey!") before continuing on to the locker room. The twenty year-old set up an ironing board and grabbed a hanger from his locker. He retrieved the freshly washed and dried suit – albeit very creased in several areas. But then, that was what the ironing board was for, no?

Once he was done ironing, the redhead sighed and grinned to himself. The suit looked smart and rather fetching on the hanger. Lavi glanced at the wall clock momentarily. He still had fifteen minutes to freshen up. Maybe, with his luck today, everything would turn out well.


	5. Not in the same Boat

The Gentleman's Affair

Chapter 5: Not in the same Boat

Disclaimer: I don't own.

A/N: er, yeah. I'm aware that the chapter title of the previous chapter is wrong. HAHA. It actually says chapter three instead of chapter four like it should. Well. Can't be helped. So, I was studying quite a lot this as well as last weekend. Hence the late post. I hope the quality isn't bad this chapter. If it is, I apologize to all of you people who are going read this chapter through in advance. ./bow I do hope you enjoy though. (: Read on~!

* * *

Lavi fidgeted, turning the keys over and over in his hands. The redhead had no idea whether his nervous motions were out of anxiety or excitement. He had never laid eyes on, let alone _driven_ such an expensive car. The Bentley Mulsanne was a massive work of art. A huge collage of artful curves and smooth gloss paint, it had a lush interior with leather seats the colour of coal and mahogany wood trimming complemented by handles of pure silver. To summarise its appearance, one could say it were fit for a kind to drive and for gods to ride in.

The twenty year-old was no king – far from it. But the moment his gaze had settled on the deep platinum gold finish of the car's main body, he had certainly felt like royalty. Sliding into the driver's seat and taking the huge luxury car for a spin had felt beyond surreal.

The brilliant car wasn't the only thing that delighted him. After ironing out his suit and cleaning up, Lavi had fixed his messy hair to an extent – it looked less like a bird's nest and a little more like human hair. Slipping into the red pinstriped button down shirt, Lavi had felt comfortable chills run down his spine at the feel of the soft fabric. As he shrugged the matching black blazer onto his shoulders, the redhead had felt even more sophisticated. The gold trimming along the pockets of the blazer and the buttons around the cuffs of the blazer glinted in the mid-morning sunlight as he stood just outside the hotel lobby. The suit was probably – no, was most definitely _the most_ expensive thing Lavi had ever worn.

The redhead observed the hum of a taxi engine behind him absent-mindedly, keeping his eye on the hotel lobby, just in case a delegate or guest showed up. One of the other valets or doormen rushed past him to open the cab's door. Giggling and the click of heels followed soon after, and Lavi felt eyes on his back. Turning slightly, he noticed a group of girls smiling at him coyly. One of them – a brunette – even winked.

The twenty year-old turned around quickly, struggling to hide his embarrassment as Allen stifled a chuckle next to him. He felt the warmth rushing up his neck to his face. The girls sauntered past him, arms linked, sly smiles on their lips like a secret he didn't know, and sent him one last appraising glance. The brunette blew him a kiss as she and her group disappeared behind the automatic doors.

Lavi shook his head. Why on earth did girls always stare at him like that? And those looks. What was _up_ with _those_? It wasn't like he was good looking or anything like that. Lavi examined the shiny tips of his polished shoes. Maybe it was because he was wearing the suit? He fingered the carved gold buttons on his cuffs. But then it always happened, regardless of whether or not he was well dressed. It didn't make sense. The twenty year-old ran a hand through his hair, messing it up again. Maybe his dark red hair looked stupid and fake and convinced people he was some kind of hobo who dyed their hair weird colours. But then, his red hair was his natural hair co-

Lavi's cluttered thought process was interrupted by the ding of the elevator arriving on the ground floor. Startled, Lavi's head snapped up abruptly and he automatically held his paper – displaying Dr Lee and family's name – up amidst the small crowd of valets by the hotel entrance.

He observed the guest. He assumed the guy was a delegate from the clean, pressed suit he had donned and the neat cut of his hair. (Was a guy's hair usually that long?) The man had sharp features and walked briskly with his head up confidently, his mouth set in a thin line. He had classic Asian features - almond eyes, for example - and his pale complexion spoke of Japanese or Chinese heritage.

... Was this Komui Lee? Even if he seemed kind of young, it _was_ possible. Lavi fidgeted slightly, still somewhat vaguely distraught by his encounter with the flirty girls.

The redhead grimaced, cursing mentally as he realised that the delegate was walking in his direction. Plastering a look of nonchalance and curiosity on his face, the redhead braced himself for a snobbish attitude (and prayed that the delegate was _not_ Komui Lee). Lavi noticed Allen stilling beside him. It was probably one of them – the escort on Lavi's other side had already left with his escortee.

In four quick strides the man stood only a yard away from Lavi and Allen. The well-dressed stranger stared at Lavi with a look the redhead couldn't place, his eyes narrowing. He had no idea how, but he felt as though they'd met before. Lavi blinked, blurred images of narrowly dodging some kind of sharp object in a bright garden momentarily clouding his judgement. Perhaps this guy had gone for the same college application exam he had before his grandfather had fallen sick. Lavi swallowed under the intense dark gaze of the delegate. Sooner of later one of them would have to ask the delegate if the paper they were holding displayed their name. Lavi had just opened his mouth to speak when Allen beat him to the punch.

"Excuse me, sir. Are you Mr Kanda?" came the seventeen year-old's voice, firm and confident.

Lavi's mouth clamped shut as the familiar dark eyes darted to Allen's face and then to the paper he held up in his hands. The dark blue eyes narrowed as the delegate scrutinized the teenager carefully, eyeing him up and down. The redhead peeked at Allen from the corner of his eyes. From his peripheral vision, the redhead noted the slight shake of his friend's hands, his knuckles turning white.

Finally the delegate replied with a curt nod. As Allen directed his passenger to another Bentley Mulsanne – this one sporting an onyx-black finish – Lavi breathed a sigh of relief. Allen bowed and opened the door for the 'Mr Kanda'. Lavi watched as Allen stood up from his bow to shut the door behind the delegate once he had gotten in and gave the white-haired boy a thumbs up and a smile.

With a shaky grin, the white haired boy nodded and circled around to the other side of the luxury car to the driver's seat.

Lavi turned once again to face the lobby. Whoever this Kanda person was, and how they might know each other, Lavi didn't really have time to worry about. He pushed the thought to the back of his mind.

Looking at the marble floors of the lobby and the granite tabletops, the expensive-looking lounge chairs and the chandeliers hanging from the ceiling for the millionth time, Lavi sighed. These people were honestly too effing _rich_. All the things they had in the waiting lounge in the lobby probably amounted to more than twenty years'worth of his current salary. It kind of made him feel sick - and rather godly at the same time – to be the one driving them where they needed to go. Which didn't make any sense. A creak echoed across the lobby, a sound Lavi familiarized with the stairwell door being opened, and drew Lavi's attention away from the expensive sheen of the coffee tables in the waiting lounge. Looking up, the redhead found himself looking at two familiar faces. The Prime Minister and his sister had somehow just emerged from the stairwell. Lavi found himself gazing at the beautiful raven-haired girl. Even though she was in jeans and a t-shirt, carrying a small red backpack, she still looked the same as she had when she and her brother had arrived. The twenty year-old remembered his place and looked away abruptly. What was more important now was who their escort would be. Was it him?

... Were they Dr Lee and family?

The Prime Minister seemed to scan the group of escorts. Lavi felt his stomach knot somehow, hope slipping out of his fingers, as the older man's gaze swept over him and elsewhere. The Prime Minister was the only politician the redhead thought he could stand. The guy wasn't in the least bit snobby. ... And to be honest, Lavi felt a little less... disadvantaged around him than when he was around the other hotel customers. The Prime Minister didn't flaunt his wealth, and he treated the redhead more like a human being than _vermin _- the way the rest of the hotel's occupants usually did. Lavi lowered his gaze to the floor, his head bowed. It wasn't his place to hope. It was to be expected that the redhead would definitely get a snobbish politician, for all his tolerance, not someone who was kind. And it wasn't as though anyone would feel safe with their sister being escorted by someone his age and income group anyway. Perhaps Dr Lee and family would be escorted by one of the valets chosen who were old enough to have a family themselves. Someone Krory's age. Lavi's gaze traveled to his right. Looking out from the corner of his eye, he wondered who, of the many escorts gathered, the lucky guy was.

He heard someone sigh and looked up to see the ebony-haired girl, whose name he was too afraid to speak, hand her brother a pair of glasses and start off in the general direction of the escorts. As the brother-sister pair drew closer, Lavi's eyes widened. They were heading in his direction.

"Hello, and good morning, Mr Bookman," the Prime Minister called in a sing-song voice. The older man smiled kindly and adjusted his wire-frame glasses on the bridge of his nose. Lavi stood rooted to the spot, his extremities numb. He couldn't believe it. Speechless, he stared wide-eyed at the man standing not three feet away from him. The Prime Minister blinked.

"Well... That's my name you're holding there, Mr Bookman. Shall we get going then?" he asked. Beside him, his sister peered at him curiously. The redhead felt heat creep up his neck for the second time that day.

Lavi scrambled to gather his shattered composure. He shook his head slightly, trying get his befuddled brain to focus, and forced the blush down. He did _not_ need to screw up the moment Lady Luck decided to sympathize with him. This didn't happen everyday, and he couldn't afford to ruin his tiny stroke of luck, even if he already looked like an bumbling idiot to the Prime Minister's sister. ... Wait, who has he to be assuming that such a beautiful girl would even look at him?

A stupid idiot, obviously.

"Uhm. Right. I'm sorry," he managed. "Right this way, sir."

* * *

As soon as Lavi was in the car, the smooth, quiet hum of the highly-advanced engine calmed his nerves enough to make him feel sure that he wasn't going to end up driving his important passengers into a wall. The redhead relaxed into the leather seat comfortably and steeled himself with a silent sigh. Curling his fingers gingerly around the expensive leather cut of the steering wheel, he pulled the Bentley Mulsanne out of the hotel pick-up point, easing his foot down on the accelerator appropriately.

"Where to, sir?" he asked politely.

The Prime Minister chuckled at this.

"Well, Lenalee and I don't really frequent this side of the country very often..."

'_Evidently,_' something hissed in his head. "_If people like _you_ exist_."

The twenty year-old's fingers tightened around the steering wheel. Lavi bit the bitterness back and forced it harshly down into the coil that was his stomach.

"... so we figured that maybe you would be able to give us some recommendation as to where to go today." This surprised the redhead. The Prime Minister's sister had finished her brother's sentence in his stead. "We didn't have time to really organize a schedule yesterday after we arrived because we had to unpack and tend to some other things I hope you'll forgive me for not mentioning." Her voice was like satin, smooth. Lavi savoured the feel of it as he processed what she had said. He caught himself before the fact that she was speaking to him clouded his judgement. This was no time to act like his head was up in the clouds. He was driving an expensive car with very socially and politically significant passengers. Looking up, he glimpsed her smiling at him in the rear-view mirror.

"So why don't _you_ tell _us_ where we should go?" she finished.

Lavi couldn't resist the urge to smile back somehow. He had no idea what had possessed him to do so, but it was already on his face before he could stop it. A small grin surfaced on his lips.

Realizing what he had done, his mouth immediately reverted back into the set of a thin line. He cleared his throat.

"Well, if I may say, it's Sunday today, so most areas are rather crowded, sir..." the redhead trailed off, the directions to the ideal place for them to visit already materializing in his head. But before he could say more, the Prime Minister interjected.

"It's rather early, though, right? It shouldn't be so crowded right now."

"Well... The tourist attractions here open bright and early, so regardless of the time right now, it will still be crowded no matter where you go, sir."

The Prime Minister nodded in acknowledgement. "I see."

"I do have a place in mind, though, sir," Lavi inputted. "It's a place not many people know, and it isn't on the list of tourist attractions available at the hotel."

The Prime Minister perked up at this. "Oh? And where would this be?"

"You'll see, sir," he replied, a small smile on his face. _She_ would be happy today.

* * *

The lake looked like it eventually led to the sea. If you looked across it, you wouldn't be able to see the other side. Normally, one would assume this was because it stretched out to the ocean, and wasn't actually considered a lake, but they would be mistaken. The Mona Lisa Lake was so large that it was almost impossible to see across to the other side. The mist that shrouded the farther end of the lake also made the visibility poor from afar. The only way one could see the rest of the lake was if they looked out across it from a boat at the halfway mark of the lake.

Lavi parked the Bentley by the side of the dirt road, hoping that by another strange stroke of luck he wouldn't be made to clean the car up later. It was probably extremely dusty by now, considering the hour and a half they had been on the road. The redhead shut off the engine and got out of the car to open the door for his passengers. To his astonishment, the Prime Minister's sister had already opened the door and pulled a camera out of her bag. The cool breeze blew her hair across her forehead into a graceful cadence as she leaned forward to snap a picture with her high-resolution camera.

The twenty year-old looked away.

"My brother fell asleep. He should be awake in a few moments," came the beautiful girl's velvet voice.

Lavi nodded stiffly. He was too far beneath her to listen to her voice. He wondered vaguely what his old man was up to, whether Chomesuke was taking care of him...

"Alright, miss," he acknowledged quietly, somewhat lost in thought.

The girl lowered her camera away from her face and turned to address him. Lavi did not make eye-contact.

"You're sure this place isn't on the tourist hotspot lists?"

The ebony haired girl ran a hand through her ebony tresses. The redhead nodded curtly and kept his gaze focused on a small rock by the toe of his shoe. "I mean," she said, looking out at the reflection of the blue sky on the lake surface. "I don't doubt that it wasn't on the list at the hotel. But this place is _huge _and absolutely gorgeous, not to mention. How could anyone miss it?" she asked, turning back to face him.

The redhead shrugged. He himself had no idea why people neglected such beauty nor why no-one knew about the old lady's village's gondola-like-boat services. What better way to see the whole lake than by boat?

"Well, they don't actually miss the Mona Lisa Lake, miss. You're right about how large it is. People simply drive past it, perhaps take a few photos. But they don't stop here to take a boat ride, miss," he responded.

Amethyst eyes brightened at this. The twenty year-old watched the enthusiasm spread across the planes of her face.

"We're taking a boat ride?"

Lavi offered her a half-smile. Her radiance had spread some of her excitement to him.

"Yes," he acknowledged, kicking slightly at the rock by his foot. "But it isn't exactly a boat ride. It's more like a gondola ride you'd get in Venice."

The ebony haired girl paused and blinked.

"Aha!" she yelled abruptly, pointing at him with her left index finger.

The redhead stepped back in surprise his one green eye wide. He had no idea why she was pointing him. He had just been standing there. He couldn't have possibly done anything to antagonize her just by standing. Maybe he was standing on some kind of creature and she was going to reprimand him about it? Or maybe she wanted to scold him for nudging the rock at the toe of his shoe.

"W-What?" he stammered, still slightly taken aback.

The Prime Minister's sister simply grinned at him. "You didn't address me as 'miss' there!" She lowered her arm.

Lavi could only blink and stare.

"...Huh?" he said. What he really meant was _What the hell?_

The ebony haired girl let her camera hang loosely on its strap from her neck and stood with her arms akimbo, her hands on her hips.

"You've been addressing me as 'miss' at the end of almost all your sentences for a while." The girl rubbed the back of her neck. "And to be honest, it's quite annoying. I mean, you don't have to be formal 'cause-" The girl paused and seemed to consider what she was going to say. "How old are you anyway? You don't look too much older than me. You aren't, are you?"

The redhead shook his head. "No, I'm not, m-" He cut himself short and the ebony haired girl standing across from him smiled. He scratched the back of his neck in an attempt to hide his embarrassment.

"Well then, good. So you see? You don't need to be so formal!" she huffed, folding her arms. "Just because I'm the Prime Minister's sister doesn't mean I need to be respected without respecting you back. You _are_ older than me. _I'm _supposed to respect _you_. So, come on. Since the age gap between us isn't that big, why don't you drop the miss?" She smiled brightly.

Lavi didn't know whether to agree or insist on propriety. She looked like she would genuinely appreciate it if he didn't address her with a 'miss' affixed to the back of every sentence.

"Uhm," he stuttered hesitantly, "sure."

The smile on the girl's pretty rose pink lips turned into a grin.

"Great! Now, I don't want to address you as Mr Bookman either. It makes you sound old."

She stepped closer to him.

"My name is Lenalee Lee. It's a pleasure to meet you," she said sincerely with a small bow that was customary in their country. "What's your name?"

Lavi fought the urge to move away from her - that would just come off as plain rude. It had been forever since anyone - male or female - had asked him what his name was. The last time he remembered was when he'd met Allen, about three to four months ago when the white-haired boy had first applied for the valet job as a part-timer towards the end of his school year.

"Uh..." The redhead attempted to stall for time. He was already getting used to the sound of her voice. "...Bookman?"

The Prime Minister's daughter deadpanned. "Whatever you're getting at, I'm on to you. Tell me your first name. _Now._"

Lavi looked away from her sharp gaze and ran a hand through his hair. He sighed. Who knew girls could be so persistent?

"... Lavi."

The girl raised an eyebrow.

"You _are_ being honest, right?"

Lavi sighed again, more audibly this time.

"Yes. What reason would I have for lying to you?" he retorted.

The ebony haired girl huffed and threw her hands up in the air.

"Oh, I don't know-"

At that moment, the Prime Minister himself awoke from his slumber with a mighty yawn.

Lavi felt himself start at the sound. He stilled, and his muscles tensed again. He resumed standing with his hands clasped behind his back. He hadn't even noticed they'd relaxed as he was speaking to the Prime Minister's sister. He needed to remember his place. He watched as the older man emerged from the passenger cabin of the luxury car and stretched.

"Sorry for the wait, everyone," he yawned, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"Brother," the ebony-haired girl scolded in a reprimanding tone. "_Please_ close your mouth when you yawn. It's so uncouth. You're thirty-one, not five."

The redhead decided to make his escape from their previous conversation.

"Sir, would you like me to make arrangements with the vendors?" he added quickly.

The Prime Minister completely missed his sister's incredulous look as she mouthed _You sly fox! _to the twenty year-old across from him quietly.

"Ah, yes please." He turned to Lenalee. "Could I have a bottle of water please, dear Lenalee?"

Lavi turned to leave, a small smile on his lips. He had won their small argument for now.

* * *

Cloud Nyne, in all her beautiful blonde glory as always, had not seemed particularly enthusiastic upon seeing him. There was no visible indication of her joy at seeing him other than the small twinkle in her eye. Lau Shimin had simply chattered at him from her shoulder. After unceremoniously asking him what he wanted, coming here in a fancy suit, in a monotone, he'd jerked his thumb in the direction of his two passengers standing around near the dirt road.

"Customers," she whispered. Giving him a pat on the head and a compliment ("Good boy."), she moved past him to the wood-plank dock joined to the river bank. Taking that as an indication to fetch the brother-sister pair over, Lavi backtracked to the dirt road and brought the two to the dock.

The tall blonde woman had just finished preparing her best gondola when they reached the first wooden plank on the dock.

"Good morning, ma'am," Mr Lee said. Cloud Nyne inclined her head politely in acknowledgement. The Prime Minister smiled.

"How much would the boat ride be?" he inquired.

Lavi watched the exchange wordlessly. He didn't really know either. Every time he'd visited the older woman, he had taken the gondola-like-boat out on his own for free. Cloud Nyne answered the older man in a polite tone. "It's six hundred centimes per person, sir."

"So I'll pay you eighteen hundred centimes, yes?" the Prime Minister asked, fishing his wallet out of his back pocket.

The blonde beauty tilted her head to the side questioningly. "You are paying for a third person?"

"Ah, yes." Lavi was surprised to find the Prime Minister smiling at him.

The Prime Minister's sister decided to add her own input as her brother paid the blonde woman the eighteen hundred centimes for the fare.

"You're coming with us, Lavi."

Said redhead blinked slowly, not quite sure he had heard right. Wasn't he of lower - much lower - class than them? Why on earth were they inviting him to join them? Noticing the ebony-haired girl's stern look which clearly indicated that there was no room for argument, he gulped and decided to agree for the sake of his safety.

"Oh," he said hesitantly.

From the corner of his eye, he caught Cloud Nyne roll her eyes. She had always done that, and he had no idea why.

"Alright then," she drawled. "All aboard."

Lavi gestured to the boat politely.

"After you."

The Prime Minister stepped gingerly onto the boat.

"Watch your step," Cloud Nyne warned.

Once Mr Lee was safely seated on the opposite side of the boat, Lavi stepped aside to let Lenalee step onto the boat. The girl stepped delicately into the wooden vessel.

Unfortunately, she stepped on some of the algae growing on the deck as well.

With a gasp, the girl lost her balance, nearly toppling over into the water. Lavi's eyes widened. Without a second thought the redhead made a swift grab for the girl's arm and pulled her close to him, securing her in place and allowing her to regain her balance. Lenalee looked up at him, about twenty centimeters shorter than himself, and their eyes locked.

The twenty year-old felt his breath catch in his throat. Abruptly, he let go of her arm and backed away.

"I-I'll pay you back," he breathed. Lenalee looked puzzled, her eyes round with confusion. He turned to face away from the group of people and stood still on the dock, trying to calm down. He could no longer hear the voices behind him, enveloped in inner turmoil.

He had caught a whiff of the distance between their worlds. Hope had never done anything for him, and Lavi knew he shouldn't have let her slip in past his defenses earlier, talking to him like a friend, not just a lowly chauffeur. He had never belonged with these kinds of people and he never would.

He was just lowly, uneducated vermin with no past, no present and no future.


End file.
